Frankie Edgar plans to beat Jose Aldo at UFC 200, fight Conor McGregor for “real title” at MSG in November

By Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Frankie Edgar is still holding out hope that a fight with Conor McGregor comes together, and he said this week he’s gunning for that fight at Madison Square Garden after he beats Jose Aldo at UFC 200.

“I’d love to get a win here in July and then fight McGregor for that real title in the Garden in November,” Edgar said in an interview with FOXBusiness.com (via FoxSports.com). “If not McGregor, then I’ll be defending my title in the Garden.

“It’s kind of silly. It doesn’t really make sense,” Edgar continued regarding McGregor’s rematch with Nate Diaz. “But I get to fight a five-round fight, I get to fight a legend in Aldo and be on one of the biggest cards in UFC history. There’s a lot of plus sides to it. And also, the interim’s going to guarantee me a shot at the title. If I hold the interim, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. I have to be fighting that guy for the title, or my title becomes the title if [McGregor] doesn’t come down.”

Penick’s Analysis: That would be the perfect timing for the UFC. They obviously would like to have McGregor be a part of their NYC debut, and the long-awaited matchup between he and Edgar would be a fine bit of matchmaking for the event. Will it happen? Entirely depends on how the two fights at UFC 200 pan out, and whether McGregor finally drops back down. It would be fantastic if it happened, but we’re continuing to be in a “wait and see” pattern on McGregor right now.

[Frankie Edgar art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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